More than 23,000 Labor members have left the party in the past two months amid controversy over its stance on Gaza and a dilution of green promises.

Figures released to the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) show that the opposition still leads the Conservatives in opinion polls despite a significant drop in membership.

Labor sources told observer The party’s overall financial position remains strong despite the decline in subscriptions, which constitute only one source of revenue for the party.

Sir Keir Starmer’s party now gets a large proportion of its income from financial support from donors as well as trade unions.

The Labor leader was heavily criticized for his initial refusal to call for an immediate ceasefire after Israel attacked Gaza in response to Hamas’s October 7 terror attack.

Labor insiders believe anger among Britain’s Muslim community at the Labor Party’s handling of the issue is the main reason why thousands of Labor members are tearing up their pledge cards.

Sir Keir and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves have also been criticized for scaling back Labour’s £28bn green investment plan, seen by some as a key dividing line between Labor and the Conservatives.

Labour’s top two leaders said the Green Prosperity Plan would be reduced to less than £15bn.

Under Jeremy Corbyn, the party’s membership peaked at 532,000 in 2019. Last week’s report to the National Electoral Commission showed Labor’s membership had dropped from 390,000 in January to 366,604 at the latest count.

It’s unclear when the last votes will be counted.

A senior Labor figure who attended the meeting said: “This is a significant fall in just two months.” observer. “People were surprised, even taken aback.”

NEC member Luke Akehurst told the newspaper that while Labor membership had fallen, it was still at an “all-time high”.

“Labour ended its last term with only 150,000 members [in 2010],” he added.

“The state of the polls suggests there is no correlation between membership and electoral popularity.”

Momentum, a grassroots left-wing group that supports Corbyn and has become increasingly critical of Sir Keir, accused the party’s top brass of taking the party’s base “for granted”.

The group said in a statement: “From failing to speak out against Israel’s brutal war on Gaza, to a U-turn in morale, to his abuse of Diane Abbott, Keir Starmer is alienating Labour’s core support .”

“Members are the lifeblood of the Labor Party – their en masse departure should be a wake-up call.”